The science behind the captivating Northern Lights visible over UK and Ireland
northern lights also known as the aurora borealis and it left those watching it in awe. According to reports from the Met Office, they confirmed multiple sightings, from the northern reaches of Scotland to the central and eastern regions of England.
The Met Office, responsible for monitoring and predicting weather patterns, noted that the ethereal lights were «observed across Scotland, clearly visible from Shetland webcams, and sightings reported across some central and eastern parts of England.» The best opportunity to witness this captivating display was on a Sunday, predominantly in Scotland, but their reach extended southward, tantalizing those in central Wales and England.
To shed light on this natural marvel, Professor Don Pollacco, a distinguished physicist from the University of Warwick, elucidated the phenomenon. According to him, the northern lights are caused as a result of the interaction between particles from the sun, also known as the solar wind, and Earth's atmosphere.
This interaction is guided to the polar regions by Earth's magnetic field, akin to iron filings aligning with a magnetic bar.
The intensity of the spectacle is influenced by the sun's activity, particularly sunspots, which lead to fluctuations in particle density within the solar wind. As these particles infiltrate Earth's atmosphere, they create an array of vivid colors and patterns.
Oxygen molecules, for instance, give rise to the green light, while nitrogen infuses the night sky with a striking red hue. The result is a breathtaking display of curtains and spotlights that evolve rapidly, with shapes and colors shifting in mere minutes and seconds.
The northern lights are mostly visible near Earth's magnetic poles.
